ATLANTIC CITY — After Jim Miller tired out for the first time in his athletic career during a fight in April 2013, the former Sparta High School wrestler made changes to his training and mixed martial arts mindset to ensure he never ran out of gas again.

Unfortunately, the best preparation can be undone by a well-placed knee to the body.

That's just what Donald Cerrone delivered to the Whippany-based fighter during the main event of the Ultimate Fighting Championship's card Wednesday at Revel Casino Hotel.

Cerrone's vicious body shots slowed Miller and opened the door for the devastating head kick that ended the home-state fighter's night three minutes, 31 seconds into the second round.

"He hurt me with that knee to the body early," said Miller in comments provided by UFC. He was not available at the post-fight news conference, instead taken to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center as a precautionary measure. He was treated and released early Thursday morning, and X-rays were negative, according to the UFC.

"I couldn't get my wind back no matter what I tried. It was like quicksand. The more I struggled, the deeper I sank."

Miller (24-5, 1 no contest), ranked seventh in the lightweight division and coming off two straight first-round submission victories, had looked good in the first round, winning the period on all three judges' scorecards.

"He got right back up when I took him down," Miller said. "He kept coming. He did exactly what we expected him to do. I hit him with a lot of good shots. He hit me hard and just fought a good fight. Give him credit for the win."

The knockout blow was set up with a faked right strike, followed by the crushing high kick that saw Cerrone's shin smash up against the left side of Miller's head. Miller collapsed to the mat and referee Dan Miragliotta called off Cerrone as he charged for the finish.

It was actually the second time Miragliotta halted the fight. There was a questionable low blow to Miller earlier in the round, but Miller indicated — and replays appeared to confirm — the kick had been legal.

For Cerrone's part, he received a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus.

"I noticed that the body work had started wearing on him a little bit," said Cerrone at the post-fight news conference. "It's kind of why I'm a slow starter. I like to figure out people's rhythm and timing.

"I got his rhythm and it was time to hit the switch and go."

It was far from the only spectacular finish on a card full of them.

Edson Barboza added to his own highlight reel of kick-based KOs with a TKO victory over Evan Dunham in the semi-main. His kick to Dunham's midsection didn't appear to connect fully, but it was enough to down the lightweight at 3:06 of the first round.

Barboza, who is originally from Rio de Janeiro but trains with Frankie Edgar and Ricardo Almeida in New Jersey, had a message for the 4,115 MMA fans that packed Ovation Hall for the rare midweek nationally broadcast fight card.

"I'm from New Jersey now," he said. "Thank you so much."

The Fight of the Night bonus went to the flyweight spectacle between John Lineker and Alptekin Ozkilic, won by Lineker with 11 seconds remaining. Another Performance of the Night bonus went to Lucas Martins, who dropped Alex White with a third-round TKO in the main card opener.